"Fried or scrambled?"
I look up from my phone long enough to say fried before getting back at the funny video I'm watching. Mum gets curious whenever any of us are laughing without her so I've been stifling my laughter, but I think I'll break soon. Comedy central videos do it for me every time.
"So how's school? How're the parties? How are your classes ?" she asks in quick succession and I eventually pause my video to focus on her as she pours two eggs into a pan and they start to sizzle. I chuckle at the sight of mum with her bunny ear to go with her pajamas before I answer.
"Classes are alright, the regular. The fun, the crazy, the strenuous, the one that has me in your kitchen on a Saturday morning, waiting for eggs", I finish with a shrug.
She stands there for a while before gesturing at me with a spatula. You shouldn't only go to classes, you know? You should have some fun too" She starts to flip the eggs as I laugh. "Mum, I think you're the only parent who wants their kid to not focus on class but instead go to parties"
"It's because I know you just fine, Miles," she says, raising her head from her cooking long enough to make a face at me. "You are capable of going to classes, being friends with just your roommate, and hiding out in your room when there are parties."
I look around the room, guilty of all her accusations. I don't think I can call Justin a friend yet. We have very different dispositions and he already has such a wide friend group, I don't think he would make a move at being friends if I don't. That his female friend doesn't encourage me in a quest at being part of his friend circle. There's something about her looks, her stares that felt like she was staring into my very soul.
Mum gestures for me to come to grab my food and I go over to give her a peck on the cheek "Thanks Mum". she pats me on the arm, the closest place she can reach on my body and we both chuckle. Mum often jokes that the first indication that I was adopted is my height and looks, to which I often joke back that I must be related to her from the start then since she's so mad pretty.
I eat and she continues cooking in silence. When she's done, she comes to sit opposite me at the dining table with her breakfast. "There's chicken soup if you want some," she says and I nod. Suddenly, she stops eating her soup and looks up at me "I'm serious, Miles. Anytime I remember what a hard time you had in grade school and even high school, all I can think is that College should be fun for you. I trust your ability to keep your grades up, so you should also loosen up. Making friends would be a good start. I want to have your friends over too"
Mum is always on my case about friends, which is ridiculous because Dad was also just like me back in college, according to reports. Everyone says she drew him out of his shell and he helped her become more stable in return.
Even now, dad isn't one for loud endless parties. He got me into playing video games and reading books a lot, though I didn't get his love of gardening.
I scratch the back of my head and nod but then a thought hits me at the same time. "Is that?, Does that have anything to do with why you had more than a few drinks yesterday?" I ask haltingly and she freezes for a minute before chuckling nervously "No, that was just me and Lisa going past what we could handle. I was pretty thrashed right? I haven't drunk that much in years" she says, laughing again and I laugh along even though my mind is going a mile a minute with questions.
I'll make more efforts to be social, I tell her to reassure her and she smiles in obvious relief. We eat the rest of the meal in silence and I do the dishes while Mum goes to take a shower. By the time she's all dressed and downstairs, I'm done and I have the counter all wiped.
"Do you have plans today?" she asks, handing me a gold chain and standing in front of me.
"No, why?" I ask as I help her clasp her necklace in place.
"If you have some free time, help me get some things at the store. I would go but" I cut her short as she starts to apologize. "It's fine, Mum, I'll be home all day anyway"
She smiles her thanks and grabs her bag. "If you get bored, you could go over to Lisa's. I think her daughter is around" she says and I smile and nod.
There would be a level of boredom that would push me to go over to Mrs. Rains, what with those her evil kids. Seeing them makes me angry and I hate what an angry me does. I hate what it would do to those entitled kids who pushed me around all through middle school.
"I'm off", Mum is saying now. I help her grab her thermos and walk her to the door. "I've left the list on the kitchen table, darling, thanks again."
"Bye mum," I say before shutting the door.